Was on the final leg of a BCN-CDG-DTW-ATL trip last week (March 16th) on board NW465 when the following occurred:

The boarding door had just been closed and the boarding bridge removed when a passenger at the forward section of the coach cabin began claiming that there was a bomb on board the plane. A man next to him (with a baby in his lap) told him to calm down to which he was told "I will punch in your face and kill your baby." The man also told a girl next to him that she should "take her turban and go back to the Taliban" (The girl was african american and not wearing a turban) The crew immediately re-opened the aircraft to allow homeland security and airport police on board. They brought the passengers seated around the individual to the First class cabin/galley area to figure out what was going on, one of whom was wheelchair bound and was placed in 1B, the vacant seat next to mine. She told me the details I have related above. The aircraft was deplaned, searched with canine units, all luggage was off-loaded, and security checks were conducted. Interestingly the man who made the threats also claimed to have no luggage, though both a carry on and checked bag were found to be his. We eventually made it to Atlanta in one piece, but one has to wonder what people are thinking when they make these kinds of statements, especially in a post-9/11 environment. The crew did an EXCELLENT job of handling the situation, extremely professional. Anyway, just thought I would share!

While I was working CSA for DL at ORF we had passenger show, not more then 6 months after 9/11, and was told, by me, that she was randomly selected for the random physical bag screening.

she told one of her children to go get their father (who was parked on the curb for longer then alotted and was being told by the police to move).

When he finally made it inside he asked what the security screener was doing, and I was within earshot, then asked the screener, "Well, did you find the bomb"

I glanced over at the screener and he looked back at me. The screener graciously reminded the pax that saying things like this these days was not wise nor prudent. The man looked at me and said, "You are right, but did you find the bomb."

I looked at him and shook my head while picking up the phone and calling airport security. It was the biggest head against the wall thing you could do. Well in less then 1 minute 6 airport authority were on him and his big wife and kids. They still flew out on us 6 hours later, but with a good talking on how to behave, after being booked in the airport offices.

In long, people have succumbed to their pre-911 mentalities. They check their brains at the doors and don their attitudes. They have forgotten that 4 airliners were hijacked and thousands of lives lost because we thought our system would stop it. It failed years before by allowing pocket knives and box cutters on planes. It failed before when we allowed terrorists to have their way and take over the plane with the mentality that giving them what they want would not lead to unnecessary death. The system was flawed then, and we have since corrected those errors, we think.

Now the terminal fills with the ways around things. The old passengers are back with a vengeance, they want their cake and to eat it too with the new passes, and circumventing they have pushed through legislation. Traveling is as safe as we passengers make it to be. We rely on flight crews and their ability to maintain general order and calm.

However, if a bloke like the guy you mentioned sat next to me and threatened my life and my kids life, well lets just say it would have gotten very sporty had things not been handled by the flight crews. Good on the flight crew and good on the passenger immediately reporting it.

This is why we have security in place at airports, this is why we need to maintain the level of vigilance in our society. If we continue to lessen the process to find the sneaky few then we will have another tragedy some day and people will lose their lives because we let it relax.

Quoting LongbowPilot (Reply 1):
However, if a bloke like the guy you mentioned sat next to me and threatened my life and my kids life, well lets just say it would have gotten very sporty had things not been handled by the flight crews. Good on the flight crew and good on the passenger immediately reporting it.

You and me both.

Frankly, I think the dad with the baby showed some amazing restraint. If I had my son with me, and someone had threatened him I think I would have "hit first and asked questions later."

If you're holding your infant son in your arms, would it be prudent to suddenly enter into a physical altercation with an individual whose clearly imbalanced? May be wiser to put some distance between you, your child, and the individual in question.

Quoting Travatl (Reply 3):If you're holding your infant son in your arms, would it be prudent to suddenly enter into a physical altercation with an individual whose clearly imbalanced? May be wiser to put some distance between you, your child, and the individual in question.

Actually, the prudent thing would be for him to be in a car seat in his own chair, not on my lap.

All kidding aside, you're absolutely correct. That's why I said the dad showed a lot of restraint. I just think that instinct would take over reason in a situation like that.

Some people are just plain stupid.... I would have done the same thing if my son or sons where with me and someone said that to me. I would hit hard first then asked questions later. Some people don't need to get on a plane peroid.
And of course the courts don't do a damn thing when they are charged with a crime. Just a slap on the hand and pay your fine.

I say put them in jail for 6 months with Big bubby and then see what comes out of their mouth the next time they are flying.......